探

explore, scout

探 is composed of the radical 手 (hand) and 罙 (deep). 罙 depicts the scene of a hand reaching into a cave or hole to dig out a water source. Later, because 罙 also carried the meaning of “deep”, so 手 was added to create 探, emphasizing the sense of exploring, or scouting.

Vocabulary of 探

  • 探險 (adventure)
  • 探訪 (visit)
  • 偵探 (detective)

Related Characters: